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After months of investigation, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department has charged a local mother for allegedly making defamatory statements about students and teachers over social media.
Dorothy Tacie White, 40, of 706 Magnolia Ave., Moundsville, is charged with harassment via computer, a misdemeanor, for allegedly creating a Facebook profile that appeared to be affiliated with Bishop Donahue High School and posting defamatory comments about Bishop Donahue High School students, teachers and parents. She is currently free on $5,000 bond.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Detective Zachary Allman, the department received multiple complaints about the profile. White allegedly accused individuals of academic dishonesty, dealing drugs and trading sexual favors for drugs.
After noticing a post about her daughter in January, a local mother reported the activity to the sheriff’s department, but Allman was initially unable to locate the page, the complaint states. Allman then obtained a search warrant to secure information from Facebook, as the page had been taken down by the website after being reported several times.
Allman also spoke with a local man who claimed he had gotten into a heated argument with White – who allegedly referred to herself as Dorothy Hill via Facebook messenger – after accusing her of setting up the anonymous page.
According to investigators, White initially denied involvement with the page during an interview, but eventually admitted to creating the profile, friend-requesting specific people and making multiple comments. She reportedly claimed she created the page to get back at students she believed were bullying her son, who attends the school.
Allman found several claims allegedly made by White that were unfounded, including that a teacher had been drinking with her students and that several students were drug dealers. According to Bishop Donahue Principal Tom Wise, the page used the school’s name and crest but was in no way associated with the school.
Marshall County Sheriff Kevin Cecil said cases involving social media are often difficult and time-consuming.
“Facebook has not been very police-friendly,” Cecil said. “There are some companies you can give a prosecutor’s subpoena to obtain the information you need, but Facebook is one of the companies that take everything to the highest degree, requiring search warrants and circuit judges to order motions.”